What made you want to join the ABI Future Leaders programme?
I’ve been with Aviva for 17 years (closer to 15 when I joined the programme) so it seemed a refreshing opportunity to see things from others’ perspectives. I’ve been fortunate to have a number of roles that have involved external engagement, networking and working with the ABI, and it was great to build my network and have a shared space with people from all kinds of roles, backgrounds and firms. The early events brought in a range of external speakers and encouraged open debate, so it was great to be able to question some inspirational leaders who lent their time to the programme.
What knowledge and skills did you think that you would leave the programme with? Did it meet your expectations?
As above for me it was about broadening my perspective and understanding how people from different roles or departments approach certain scenarios – so I can see things from the point of view of people in Finance, Ops or IT for example. That was definitely delivered and helped our group work be well rounded and broad.
I also really valued the chance to talk to so many experienced, wise leaders directly through Q&As and the discussions we had on Inclusion. On a personal level it gave me a lot of confidence and optimism for the future – loads more to do, but we’re clearly moving in the right direction, and it was great to feel part of that progress.
What was the highlight of Future Leaders for you?
The final workshop, where we worked as a group to tackle a plausible industry challenge (we looked at how the industry should respond to a new, activist and interventionist environmental party winning a snap election). It was challenging and at outset, seemed an impossible task to define a thorough strategic response in such a short time but we worked really well together, challenging each other and building on everyone’s strengths to deliver our presentation. Tough but rewarding!
How do you feel that the programme will help you progress in a leadership role?
It’s helped me understand how people in other disciplines work and need to think about a problem. So, I’ll approach things from a broader perspective and it’ll improve my stakeholder management if I can anticipate others’ priorities.
Would you recommend the programme to colleagues?
Definitely.
Has your role changed since undertaking the programme?
I’m always trying to learn new things within my role, this year I’ve been asked to act as risk lead on a major new strategic initiative. I think the broader perspectives and insights I’ve gained from the programme will help me add value to our processes and decision making. The programme also drew out that a leader isn’t just a leader directly of their team or a specific piece of work, but that we have a responsibility and an opportunity to shape culture and reputation across our firms and the whole industry.